Cruise ship news

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Rosmorport to approve design for modernization of two icebreakers to meet...

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On the European front, occupancy came in better than anticipated for Costa and AIDA, with both brands hitting 119 percent occupancy in August.

Are they exceeding the LSA capacity?:

Carnival Corp Posts 109% Occupancy in Third Quarter

The explanation:

Cruise ship occupancy is calculated by having two people in each stateroom, bringing a ship to 100 percent. Any additional guests, such as children, will push a ship over the 100 percent mark.

Doesn’t “Any additional guests, such as children” count in the POB?

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Holland America: Full Fleet Shore Power Ready

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Cruise-ships have two passenger occupancies:

The ‘administrative’ occupancy is just twice the number of passenger cabins.
The last time I searched for, the Panama Canal fee was based on this number for cruise-ships.

The ‘constructive’ occupancy is the absolute number of passengers allowed on board (adults or children).
This number determines the capacity of the lifeboats or rafts and the number of life jackets.
It also determines the ship’s internal dispositions for an emergency: The width of the corridors and the number and capacity of the staircases.

An example from the ‘Costa Fascinosa’ (this summer in Alesund):
Passenger cabins = 1507
Administrative occupancy = 3014 pax
Constructive occupancy = 3617 pax
…plus about 1100 crew

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Disney Dream an early morning on the way to Oslo,
Photo: Harald Oanes via NSF

Disney Dream Ship Details | Costco Travel

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Carnival Jubilee on the move from Papenburg to Eemshaven:

CARNIVAL JUBILEE - Der 345m Riese passiert die Ems

Thigh fit in the upper reaches.

The long version:

CARNIVAL JUBILEE TRANSFER FROM SHIPYARD TO OCEAN ON RIVER EMS - 4K SHIPSPOTTING 2023

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Hurtigruten Expedition’s Maud at Sæbø, Hjørundfjorden today:

Photo: olajooh via NSF
Note the two boarding platforms and side gates used for their RIB tenders.

MS Maud Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review | CruiseMapper

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The Antarctica cruise season 2023/24 is on:

ms HONDIUS operating of Danco Island, Antarctica as seen from the VIKING POLARIS

m/v Hondius | Explore remote locations with our cruise ship m/v Hondius.

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Viking to debut new ship on Mekong River in 2025

“The rich history and culture of Vietnam and Cambodia have always made the Mekong River a fascinating destination for our guests,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. “With the addition of an identical sister ship in 2025, we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to the treasures of this fantastic region in the years to come.”

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Report issued by the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NISA) into the incident on Viking Polaris in the Drake Passage one year ago :

Further, the investigation has shown that the pressure from the breaking wave exceeded what the windows were designed to withstand. It is not identified rules for ships or ship windows which accounts for the effects of breaking waves towards the shipside.

The NSIA is of the opinion that the windows were inadequately dimensioned and that the design pressure requirements in the current regulations for windows in this position yield too low values to be able to withstand pressure loads from breaking waves within the extent of the validity of the rules.

NISA issued the following recommendations:
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that DNV promote the problem in question in the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to ensure that all class rules, independent of class society, are developed to include requirements that account for breaking waves against the shipside. This also has to be reflected in DNV’s own rules.

Source: Report on marine casualty involving the cruise ship ‘Viking Polaris’ south-east of Cape Horn, 29 November 2022 | nsia

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Largest Ever Cruise Ship Is on the Way - Icon of the Seas Delivered!

[quote]
The ship will offer alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings , each time bringing aboard 5,610 guests at double occupancy, or up to 7,600 passengers if fully booked with all berths filled. Also onboard are more than 2,300 international crew members to ensure that every traveler has a truly iconic vacation with all the ship has to offer.

That is a lot of people to evacuate in 1/2 hr.
Hopefully the “Safe return to port” class notation will prove to function.

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Off the beaten track:
M/V EUROPA VISITED PALMERSTON ISLAND

Ms EUROPA in front of Palmerston island. Cook islands.

At the Palmerston Athol in the Cook Islands. lived 29 persons all related to the English Marsters who came here in 1862 with 3 wives from Polynesia.

Mr. Marsters first house built of planks from a shipwreck.

The guests onboard M/V EUROPA really enjoyed a lecture from Arthur Neal, the chief of the island, as well as a trip ashore to this South Sea Paradise.
Text & Photos: Capt Dag Dvergastein - Master M/V EUROPA via Maasmond Newsclippings

More about Palmerston Island:

Discover Palmerston | Cook Islands

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The IONA moored at the Rotterdam cruise terminal.
Photo: Rik van Marle - Schippers Centrale Rotterdam ©

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It’s not size that matters:

Illustration: Ulstein
https://www.sunstoneships.com/media-posts/steel-cutting-ceremony-marks-milestone-for-sunstones-infinity-series

The Infinity-class newbuilds, featuring up to 95 passenger cabins, each equipped with bathrooms and most with balconies, promise an immersive and comfortable experience for travellers. The ships house a range of amenities, including restaurants, lecture space, lounges, a 180-degree indoor observation deck, outdoor viewing areas, a gym, sauna, spa, and a custom-designed platform catering to kayakers and divers.

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The CELEBRITY EDGE moored in Sydney…I had just finished her magnetic compass adjustment, and she was off to Noumea . All the best and Hard Amidships as always…
Photo: Dave Pyett, (Master mariner, surveyor, compass adjuster Sydney) ©

Celebrity Edge: Deck Plan & Amenities | Celebrity Cruises Norway

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Yes it is a ship:

Virgin’s "RESILIENT LADY " arriving stern first on a perfect day at Napier Port, New Zealand on 9th January 2024.
Photo: Richard Etheridge (tug engineer) Napier Port (c)

What was your first thought?

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Another “beauty” enter the cruise market:

Icon of the Seas. Image by Meyer Turku

VIDEO: World’s largest cruise ship arrives in Miami

The 365-meter-long Icon of the Seas has a gross tonnage of 248,655 tons. It can accommodate up to 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members.
The ship will cruise from Miami year-round in the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Icon of the Seas Size, Specs, Ship Stats & More

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Ålesund is now the most visited cruise port in Norway:

With 654,625 cruise passengers in 2023, Ålesund is at the top of the statistics as last year’s most visited destination.
Last year alone, the increase in Ålesund was over 237,000 cruise tourists compared to 2022 and the total number of calls was 283.

It could get crowded at times with several thousand tourists walking the city streets.
PHOTO: STAALE WATTØ

The cruise season has also become longer than before, so that last year there were a total of 3,943 cruise calls in Norwegian ports.
The strong growth has also put a lot of pressure on pilotage services, as cruise ships are required to have pilots on board when sailing within the baseline. In 2023, the Norwegian Coast Guard’s pilots had close to 32,000 hours on board the cruise ships.

Last years statistics:

Source: Ålesund landets største cruisehavn - smp.no (behind paywall)

PS> Bergen has more cruise ship calls, but less visitors.

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The VICTORIA MEKONG navigating the Mekong River in Vietnam
Photo: Peter Wilke (c)
Launched in late-2019, the 4-star VICTORIA MEKONG is one of the region’s newest ships. While our destinations boast an ancient history, the ship enjoys state-of-the-art design and a chic, contemporary aesthetic for the ultimate in comfort and style.
The VICTORIA MEKONG operates the Mekong river cruise Saigon to Phnom Penh and Mekong river cruise Phnom Penh to Saigon.

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Coastal Cats: a revolution

American Glory features four decks and a unique catamaran bow.
What about the rest of the hull(s) ??